IBS and Sex
IBS affects each person differently so no two people will have the same experience. The symptoms are mainly diarrhoea or constipation or a combination of both along with abdominal pain and bloating.
Other symptoms can include excessive flatulence, mucous in the stools, a feeling of incomplete evacuation after a bowel movement, headaches, nausea and indigestion. Bearing all this in mind, it is not surprising that IBS can affect some people’s relationships and their sex lives.
For some people, IBS will be nothing more than a mild inconvenience but for others it can drastically impair their quality of life, particularly with regard to maintaining physical relationships with a partner. Indeed, in a UK survey conducted by Silk DB and published in 2001, just under half of the respondents reported that IBS negatively affected their sex life and just less than 20% mentioned that their partner had difficulties maintaining a physical relationship with them.
Someone with IBS may be afraid that they are going to pass wind at an embarrassing moment or that they will have to suddenly dash off to the toilet to move their bowels, leading to stress and anxiety when faced with intimate situations. Unfortunately, a lot of IBS sufferers are reluctant to speak about their symptoms and as such may avoid close intimacy because of it.
Self esteem and confidence can be affected and ultimately the relationship itself. What is interesting is that many people report that whilst having sex their IBS symptoms seem to disappear.
Sex is an intimate act and any feelings of embarrassment, fear, anxiety or stress as a result of IBS will undoubtedly affect the experience of intimacy. Some women who suffer from IBS complain of pain during and after sexual intercourse. Why this should be the case is unclear although one theory is that it is linked to increased pain perception.
People with IBS do appear to have a greater sensitivity to pain during the processes of digestion where they may perceive normal muscular contractions in the gut as intensely painful. Hormones also play a role in IBS which is possibly why many women complain that their IBS symptoms are worse during the time of their period.
The good news is that IBS needn’t affect your relationships or your sex life. With a loving and supportive partner and by seeking appropriate help and advice from your doctor or other therapist, you can keep your relationship alive and enjoy sex again.
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